Abstract: The present invention relates to gels and processes for making ceramic nanostructures, ceramic nanostructures made by such processes, and methods of using such ceramic nanostructures. Such process is templated via block copolymer self-assembly but does not require any post processing thermal and/or solvent annealing steps. As a result, such process is significantly more efficient and scalable than other processes that are templated via block copolymer self-assembly and yields a ceramic having a pore structure/shape that provides the ceramic with a higher ductility than traditional ceramics.